WEBVTT

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 (female announcer) 
 This is a production

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 of WKNO-Memphis.

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 Production funding for 
 "Behind the Headlines" is

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 made possible in part by..

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The push for more business for
minority owned firms tonight on

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"Behind the Headlines."

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[theme music]

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I'm Eric Barnes, publisher
of The Memphis Daily News.

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Thanks for joining us.

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We're joined tonight by Mauricio
Calvo from Latino Memphis.

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Thanks for being here.

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Glad to be here.

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Darrell Cobbins, C-E-O
of Universal Commercial.

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Thanks for being here.

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Thank you.

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And Ron Redwing
from 100 Black Men.

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Thanks for being here.

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I'm going to start, I
think, with you Darrell.

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This push came up why?

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It's been certainly a topic
of conversation for decades.

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Different strategies,
different approaches.

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Some success or changes in terms
of how minority owned businesses

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get government and
quasi-governmental contracting

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and so on.

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But this new push
came about why?

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Well, I think, uh, early this
summer you saw in the news both

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in print and in the media,
um, stories whether it's in

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government.

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Also, I think Wendy Thomas wrote
a piece about the disparity that

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existed whether it's
in government contracts,

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also in the private
sector, as it related to the,

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uh, disparity that existed.

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There's a disparity study
that was done in 1994 that

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highlighted the galring holes
that existed whether where it

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related to minority and women
owned businesses and the 1% that

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they got, um, as it
related to prime contracts.

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And I think when that
was brought to light,

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the big question
mark was that was 1994.

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And it's 2014.

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And that was 20 years ago.

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And we still sit here 20
years later with that hole still

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existing.

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What is the percentage now?

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Well, um, the most recent census
data was in 2007 that showed

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that eight-tenths
of 1% is the number.

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The number of?

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Grosse receipts that minority
and women owned businesses.

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And is that Memphis or Shelby
County or the United States?

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Well, that's the Memphis M-S-A.

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And, uh, and that's, um,
and that was pre 2008.

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So, I think we can probably
assume that that number may be

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even worse since 2007.

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Because of the
recession or because..

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Exactly.

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And so, I think that number
may be being updated soon since

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2007.

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And so, the impetus for this
recent push was that we need to

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examine as a community, um,
that issue as a priority.

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When you look at our
poverty situation,

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when you look at the fact that
Latinos and African-Americans

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make up almost 70% of the
population in this community but

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Latino poverty in Memphis and
Shelby County is 72% higher than

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the national average
for Latinos in America.

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African-American poverty in
Memphis and Shelby County is

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almost 32% higher than
African-American poverty in the

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United States.

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We have to examine that.

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And not that minority and women
owned business can solve that.

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But there's a solution there.

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Yeah.

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That we need to take a look at.

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And what would..

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Let me bring Ron in here
and I'll get to Mauricio.

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In your ideal world, the
approach would entail what?

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A new appraoch to
bidding projects out,

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new requirements for
percentage participation?

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I mean what are the details
of how this changes from your

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point-of-view?

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Eric, I think there are
a lot of opportunities,

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as Darrell said, to
examine best practices,

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what works.

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For example, in the 1994
study, there were a number of

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reccomendations that were
outlined as to what could happen

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or what should happen to at
least address the issue of the

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disparity that exists.

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For exmaple, they talked
about looking at mentor protege

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programs, looking at
de-bundling your large bids,

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more training and workshop
opportunities for small,

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women owned businesses.

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But those are just some thinigs
that could be addressed or

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looked at to address the issue.

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And then beyond that when you
talk about engaging the private

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sector, looking at opportunities
that they engage more and become

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more creative and inviting in
opportunities at the private

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sector.

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Because we recognize these
numbers can't be reached through

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government alone.

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It has to be a partnership
with the private sector.

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So to that in, we've scheduled
and met with a number of the

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private business advocacy groups
such as Memphis Tomorrow through

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their many programs and
involvement as it relates to

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this issue.

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We're meeting with the Chamber
of Commerce and a number of

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other organizations to look at
ways to address that very issue

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and best practices
throughout the country.

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We're not talking about
reinventing the wheel.

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The one thing we know for sure,
there has to be a change for

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Memphis to become the city of
choice and to make the kinds of

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differences that
we're talking about.

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Mauricio, we talk
about 1994 to now.

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The Hispanic and
Latino population has grown

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dramatically in
that period of time.

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So, your take, your perspective
on this and the importace of

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this and the mechanisms, the way
in which chane could happen that

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would satisfy you.

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Sure.

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And I agree with Darrell.

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I mean I think we have been
talking about it for 20 years.

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I will add that perhaps
the recent comments from the

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Commissioner Henri Brooks kind
of sparked this conversation.

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So, that was a
really awkward moment.

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I think the good thing out of
that is that people are talking

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about this.

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Again, I'm not saying
that she created this.

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But it did create
a sense of, like,

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well, let's just regroup
and talk about these issues.

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Are Latinos a true minority
here?

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Or this disparity?

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I think it was an invitation to
go back to the table and look at

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these things.

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I mean Latinos obviously want..

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They want a share of the pie.

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But we also have to see that
many Latinos are not ready to be

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contractors.

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They're not licensed.

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So, I think we have to look at
really at a broad prospective

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and say okay, we need to do
training for folks that are

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starting a business.

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I think we should make a
push whether it's black,

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white, Latino or
other for local business,

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for small businesses.

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I mean I love to see this huge
construction on 40 and other

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places with
out-of-town companies doing it.

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You know, I think,
because at the end of the day,

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even if it's a small minority
owned business out of Georgia,

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how does that benefit us?

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I mean I know at the end of
the day it employs people here.

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Let's just bring
businesses from here first.

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Right.

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And you get, to
Darrell maybe, you get..

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Mauricio brings up the point
that critics or skeptics of

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these kind of
efforts will say, well,

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there it's all well and good to
say that you want to have more

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minority owned businesses
leading these contracts.

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But those
businesses aren't out there.

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And so, on some level,
there's a chicken and egg thing.

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Right?

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If there aren't enough
businesses qualified to do it,

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it's not that they're
not inherently qualified.

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They just don't
have the experience.

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Because maybe in the past, they
were explicitly blocked out.

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That's maybe less so now.

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I mean there's progress.

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But there aren't as many
minority owned businesses.

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There aren't, you know, for
the population that's 50%

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African-American, there aren't
50% African-American businesses.

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So, how do you balance that?

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How do you get that chicken and
egg thing going in the direction

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you want?

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You first.

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That's why I said we
have to examine it.

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I'm not sitting here
saying, uh, let's start blaming.

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But I'm saying let's examine it.

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And it's sort of like the
car is broken and the hood is,

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you know, there's smoke coming
out of the hood and the stop

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engine light is on.

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You know, we need to pop the
hood and get up under there and

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figure out what the issue is.

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Right.

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And so, if there's
a lack of talent,

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so to speak, let's figure
out where the needs are,

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what the opportunities are.

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And to Mauricio's
point, if there is a,

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uh, lack of talent in
specific areas where there are

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opportunities, let's provide
the technical assistance.

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Let's provide the training.

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Let's provide the, um,
training and the skills to,

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uh, to provide opportunities
for folks that go in to those

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particular areas
where there is business.

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And in part is..

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100 Black Men is in part an
answer to some of the things

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you're talking about.

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Is that correct?

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Well..

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Because you should tell people
what that is if they're not

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familiar with your organization.

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Sure.

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100 Black Men is a civic
organization of professional men

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whose focus is mentoring,
uh, primarily young boys.

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Lately our focus has
been in education,

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primarily with
our charter school,

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MAHS, Memphis Academy
of Health Sciences.

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But I wanted to touch on
that, Darrell's point.

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You know, in some instances,
we talk about new business,

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training businesses.

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But in a lot of instances,
it's about recognizing and

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acknowledging the
businesses that are there.

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Businesses are in waiting and
just looking for an opportunity.

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So, when we can match the
need with the opportunity,

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then I think we can
begin to move the needle.

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And particularly where business
are of scale where they can work

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on large construction project or
if it's through some contracting

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mechanism.

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It's the opportunity, I think,
that we're missing in this whole

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conversation.

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And we got to get there.

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But don't..

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I mean it seems like..

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Maybe this is a very,
uh, superficial response.

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You tell me if it is.

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Whenever a big
project, a big ticket item,

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you know, a Bass
Pro, a Crosstown,

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Graceland, you know,
Whitehaven redevelopment area.

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There's always some kind
of condition in thereof,

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you know, X percent.

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Or it seems like there's some
kind of condition in there.

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X percent, 25%
minority participation.

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Like when FedEx Forum was built.

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Do those requirements not work?

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And are they not real?

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Are they not enough?

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Sure.

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I think they're real.

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I think it's where we also have
to be intentional about making

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sure that those who are ready,
those who are prepared and

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qualified have the opportunities
to really seek those,

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uh, those business, uh,
procurement opportunities as

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they exist.

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You can question.

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When you start getting to
percentages and numbers and that

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sort of thing, that's
neither here nor there.

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But where we have companies
to Mauricio's point that are

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qualified, that are ready, we
should be doing everything we

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can to allow those companies or
businesses the opportunities to

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participate.

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Let me put this question on you.

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You know, again, people who
listen to this maybe and say,

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well, you know, once you..

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If you mandate that X percentage
or is going to be a minority

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participation.

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That gives them an
unfair advantage.

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This is what people might say.

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Because they're
guaranteed that work.

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They're going to get that work,
that subcontract or contract,

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regardless of being the lowest
bidder of the highest qualified

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person.

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Say with tax or public
projects where it's tax money.

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That costs everyone,
could be the argument.

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So, again, is
that how you see it?

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That this is guaranteed work
regardless of quality or cost?

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No, absolutely not.

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So, I think there's no
silver bullet for this.

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It is a very complex issue.

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It is something that I think
we have to look after the tax

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payers and bring quality for us.

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And then we just, like you said,
we have to be intentional about

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looking quality and price
winning the local market.

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I go back to push for local
businesses to have an important

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share.

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Because to your point, if
they are 70% of people in the

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population..

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If the minority population in
Shelby County and maybe even

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more when you put
women, African-Americans,

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Latinos and
everybody else is 70,

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80%..

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Well, if you make a
push for local businesses,

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you're automatically sharing
some of that wealth with,

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you know, with the people here
that are minority or otherwise.

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So, but absolutely not.

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I don't think you should give a
minority preference because your

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racial profile.

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But I think there are
enough quality talent here.

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We just have to create
those opportunities,

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be more intentional.

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And I think you can.

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I think you can achieve most of
all if we're smart and we work

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really intentional about this.

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And, you know, to
that point, you know,

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let's put this in contest.

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You know, we're talking about
opportunities for the majority

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of this community at
the end of the day.

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You know, let's be candid here.

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You know, we've seen here in
recent weeks or months the

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situations in
Ferguson, you know,

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all the explosions that are
going on as it relates to

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violence.

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I now sit on a committee that
the Mayor has called together to

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focus on youth violence.

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But that gets down to the core
of what we're talking about.

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This is just not
business for business sake.

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But we're talking about
issues of drugs and violence,

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particularly youth violence.

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What we're looking at is a
systemic problem with young folk

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with no hope who are in despair
and don't believe that things

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can be better for them.

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So, when we look at looking at
providing business opportunities

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for local companies who might
hire some of these young people

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right here in Memphis and Shelby
County for businesses who may

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engage some of these young men
and women who are on the streets

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with no jobs, no
place to go, no hope.

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Then, you can begin to
address those issues.

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And I don't think you can
address those issues without

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addressing the issues of
joblessness and hopelessness as

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it relates to this community.

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And particularly in a community
like Memphis where our poverty

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rates are at an all-time high,
where the violence is continuing

15:21.854 --> 15:26.492
to tick up and up and up as it
relates to our young people.

15:26.492 --> 15:28.194
We got to address those issues.

15:28.194 --> 15:33.199
And this is by far one of
those ways to begin to do that.

15:33.199 --> 15:35.201
Creating other
paths of opportunity.

15:35.201 --> 15:39.872
By creating other opportunities
for them beyond what has been

15:39.872 --> 15:41.174
provided to them.

15:41.174 --> 15:45.044
So, it's about hope and having
opportunities and a place to go

15:45.044 --> 15:47.280
for many of these young people.

15:47.280 --> 15:49.282
And let me get you
back in the conversation.

15:49.282 --> 15:51.317
But again, to that point,
you run your own business.

15:51.317 --> 15:54.453
But you run your own
business and your contracted.

15:54.453 --> 16:00.827
And you want to get the highest
quality deal and not the best

16:00.827 --> 16:01.828
price.

16:01.828 --> 16:04.463
How do you and your
business view this notion of,

16:04.463 --> 16:07.433
you know, am I going to
give preference to an

16:07.433 --> 16:10.803
African-American owned
company or subcontractor or a,

16:10.803 --> 16:13.372
you know, somebody to work
for you when they're way more

16:13.372 --> 16:16.242
expensive and maybe not
as experienced as this,

16:16.242 --> 16:19.378
um, white owned company?

16:19.378 --> 16:21.747
I mean how do you balance that
as a business owner just in your

16:21.747 --> 16:22.748
world.

16:22.748 --> 16:24.851
I also sit on the board of
Memphis Light Gas and Water,

16:24.851 --> 16:26.853
which I think is
one of the best,

16:26.853 --> 16:31.023
um, companies in this city of
public or private when it comes

16:31.023 --> 16:33.025
to achieving
supplier diversities.

16:33.025 --> 16:35.027
So, there's a
balance when you look at,

16:35.027 --> 16:38.731
you know, achieving
the best price and also,

16:38.731 --> 16:45.004
getting the quality and
experience when it comes to

16:45.004 --> 16:46.339
achieving supplier diversity.

16:46.339 --> 16:49.976
And so, there's a local
bidding preference and also,

16:49.976 --> 16:55.548
um, a prioritization in terms
of making sure that the dollars

16:55.548 --> 16:57.783
circulate in the local economy.

16:57.783 --> 17:01.654
And, uh, and they do
it very successfully.

17:01.654 --> 17:05.224
Um, but to Ron's point, what I
would want to emphasize also,

17:05.224 --> 17:08.194
you know, I sit in on a
lot of economic development

17:08.194 --> 17:11.297
conversations and sit
on a lot of initiatives.

17:11.297 --> 17:15.234
And as it relates to
our local school system,

17:15.234 --> 17:19.338
I think one of the things that
we have to be cognoscente of is

17:19.338 --> 17:23.075
that when we are
educating our young people,

17:23.075 --> 17:30.483
we are, uh, educating them
not to be laborers and workers.

17:30.483 --> 17:33.553
We should be educating
and empowering them to be

17:33.553 --> 17:35.187
entrepreneurs and innovators.

17:35.187 --> 17:36.188
Yeah.

17:36.188 --> 17:41.560
And to this end of minority
business growth and development,

17:41.560 --> 17:45.298
the Memphis that we are looking
to create should be one of

17:45.298 --> 17:47.800
innovation and entrepreneurism.

17:47.800 --> 17:51.103
And when we, uh, talk to
our young people and when we

17:51.103 --> 17:54.273
envision the
Memphis of tomorrow,

17:54.273 --> 17:57.076
where I went to high school,
Memphis University School,

17:57.076 --> 17:59.111
they're not talking to
them about being workers.

17:59.111 --> 18:01.414
They're talking to
them about being leaders.

18:01.414 --> 18:04.850
And I think when we talk about
minority business growth and

18:04.850 --> 18:08.587
development, what we need to
be envisioning is these young

18:08.587 --> 18:09.722
people being leaders.

18:09.722 --> 18:10.723
Yeah, yeah.

18:10.723 --> 18:13.459
Um, you talked about
economic development.

18:13.459 --> 18:15.561
Another area that I mentioned
some of these big ticket

18:15.561 --> 18:18.631
projects and the percentages
for minority contracts,

18:18.631 --> 18:20.032
there is a pilot program.

18:20.032 --> 18:22.635
The pilot program, a big
spotlight on that right now.

18:22.635 --> 18:25.438
Um, that there
are some kind of..

18:25.438 --> 18:28.107
It's a goal or requirement that.

18:28.107 --> 18:30.810
uh, that there be
minority participation.

18:30.810 --> 18:36.015
We had Reid Dulberger from EDGE,
the pilot umbrella organization,

18:36.015 --> 18:37.016
on recently.

18:37.016 --> 18:40.353
That's the kind of goal I think
that people at the table are

18:40.353 --> 18:41.654
talking about is a good goal.

18:41.654 --> 18:43.656
And yet, you do
hear people who say,

18:43.656 --> 18:45.057
well, that's an impediment.

18:45.057 --> 18:47.994
It's one more If
you're going to do,

18:47.994 --> 18:50.563
uh, big projects in Memphis
and attract companies and you're

18:50.563 --> 18:52.832
going to put a pilot program
that's more complicated in and

18:52.832 --> 18:55.101
of itself than the incentives
you can get in Fayette County

18:55.101 --> 18:56.335
and DeSoto County.

18:56.335 --> 18:59.305
And then, you put this minority
participation requirement on top

18:59.305 --> 19:00.239
of that.

19:00.239 --> 19:02.241
Heck, we'll just
move to DeSoto County.

19:02.241 --> 19:04.944
We'll just put our project
in Fayette County and take

19:04.944 --> 19:06.946
advantage of all the
great things in Memphis.

19:06.946 --> 19:08.647
How do you address that?

19:08.647 --> 19:13.853
I mean if Memphis loses a
project outright because of too

19:13.853 --> 19:16.422
much bureaucracy and
too many requirements,

19:16.422 --> 19:18.290
isn't that self-defeating also?

19:18.290 --> 19:19.291
Go ahead.

19:19.291 --> 19:20.493
I think it's about messaging.

19:20.493 --> 19:23.262
Instead of putting some
impediment or some requirement,

19:23.262 --> 19:25.297
let's put back some incentive.

19:25.297 --> 19:28.100
You know, if you
get this contract,

19:28.100 --> 19:30.503
you are a
whatever owned company.

19:30.503 --> 19:32.505
You may be a corporation.

19:32.505 --> 19:36.409
If you turn around and give
more participation to local

19:36.409 --> 19:38.544
businesses, to minority
and women owned businesses,

19:38.544 --> 19:39.578
you'll get this incentive.

19:39.578 --> 19:41.781
So, it's not saying
that's a penalty.

19:41.781 --> 19:44.717
But yeah, rather some
incentive and some extra.

19:44.717 --> 19:48.187
Because at the end of the
day, everybody will win.

19:48.187 --> 19:50.189
And to your point, you
have to start early.

19:50.189 --> 19:52.191
We have to start with
the charter schools.

19:52.191 --> 19:54.193
But anyway, going back
to that specific point,

19:54.193 --> 19:56.195
that's an incentive and
people will be like well,

19:56.195 --> 19:57.396
I want to business in Memphis.

19:57.396 --> 19:59.398
And I want to do business
with local business owners.

19:59.398 --> 20:00.499
Your take?

20:00.499 --> 20:04.804
To the point also,
Eric, keep in mind that,

20:04.804 --> 20:08.708
you know, of course, we have to
find that balance as it relates

20:08.708 --> 20:10.776
to the pilot
program and, you know,

20:10.776 --> 20:15.448
how those funds are divvied up
and how we utilize that program.

20:15.448 --> 20:20.152
But we can't get away from
the fact that if it weren't for

20:20.152 --> 20:24.190
those, these companies wouldn't
be coming to Memphis or Shelby

20:24.190 --> 20:25.191
County.

20:25.191 --> 20:26.358
We wouldn't have the jobs.

20:26.358 --> 20:28.360
We wouldn't have
those opportunities.

20:28.360 --> 20:30.830
So, those
programs are important.

20:30.830 --> 20:34.033
And when you look at
what's happening with the pilot

20:34.033 --> 20:36.035
program, for example, I'll
cite the Electrolux program.

20:36.035 --> 20:38.070
I think they had, uh, upwards
of 30% of local and minority

20:38.070 --> 20:39.071
participation.

20:39.071 --> 20:42.575
As a matter of fact,
when you add local,

20:42.575 --> 20:45.277
I think it was even higher.

20:45.277 --> 20:50.249
So, there are some glowing
examples of how this can work

20:50.249 --> 20:52.518
and where it will dwell.

20:52.518 --> 20:57.490
And, of course, they're
hiring out of the M-S-A over at

20:57.490 --> 20:59.291
Electrolux upwards of 75%.

20:59.291 --> 21:02.528
And the people
are from this area.

21:02.528 --> 21:06.532
So, those are opportunities that
really benefit the community.

21:06.532 --> 21:08.067
You got to find that balance.

21:08.067 --> 21:11.971
You don't want the pilots to
be an impediment to what's

21:11.971 --> 21:12.972
happening.

21:12.972 --> 21:17.610
But you do want them to work
because we cannot afford to lose

21:17.610 --> 21:20.446
companies to our
neighboring cities.

21:20.446 --> 21:22.515
So, the balance
is the key there.

21:22.515 --> 21:25.151
We've talked a
lot about the, um,

21:25.151 --> 21:27.153
government sector
maybe and the quasi-pilot.

21:27.153 --> 21:29.155
Electrolux clearly a
private organization.

21:29.155 --> 21:31.157
But there was a lot of
public money involved.

21:31.157 --> 21:33.159
But for you all, just
dealing without the pilots.

21:33.159 --> 21:35.161
With any of these
totally free of government,

21:35.161 --> 21:36.162
what is..

21:36.162 --> 21:39.064
What do you think the best
practice is or the best parts

21:39.064 --> 21:45.004
you like to see businesses
have in terms of working with,

21:45.004 --> 21:48.407
um, contracting with,
um, minority businesses?

21:48.407 --> 21:50.409
So, I don't want
to name companies.

21:50.409 --> 21:52.545
But, you know, get totally
out of the public sector.

21:52.545 --> 21:54.547
Because there's no
enforcement mechanism there.

21:54.547 --> 21:56.549
Obviously there are
anti-discrimination laws with

21:56.549 --> 21:57.550
employment and so on.

21:57.550 --> 22:01.320
But how do you break
through and work with a,

22:01.320 --> 22:03.322
I mean, white owned
business as, you know,

22:03.322 --> 22:05.691
someone who owns your
minority owned business?

22:05.691 --> 22:06.692
How do you break through there?

22:06.692 --> 22:08.460
How does that happen?

22:08.460 --> 22:12.565
Well, I think the thing
we said is number one,

22:12.565 --> 22:15.334
we know we have great
corporations here in Memphis and

22:15.334 --> 22:16.335
Shelby County.

22:16.335 --> 22:17.336
Great leadership.

22:17.336 --> 22:22.308
It's been intentional in having
the will and understanding and

22:22.308 --> 22:28.047
big picture of including women
and minority in small businesses

22:28.047 --> 22:29.949
in their procurement process.

22:29.949 --> 22:33.719
Because it's good for the
community at the end of the day.

22:33.719 --> 22:36.989
And I think some of the
best practices are outlined.

22:36.989 --> 22:39.425
And those are certainly the
kinds of conversations we're

22:39.425 --> 22:42.494
having with advocacy
groups like the Chamber,

22:42.494 --> 22:45.464
like Memphis Tomorrow, who
are saying we want to have,

22:45.464 --> 22:47.132
we want to engage.

22:47.132 --> 22:51.070
We're charging the city and
county both their governments

22:51.070 --> 22:55.874
and others who are involved in
this business to identify what

22:55.874 --> 22:57.276
those best practices are.

22:57.276 --> 23:01.413
For example, I mentioned the
mentor protege program where

23:01.413 --> 23:05.985
small businesses pair up with
larger businesses and they work

23:05.985 --> 23:08.721
with them on
training, development,

23:08.721 --> 23:13.792
their best practices, purchasing
powers and any other initiatives

23:13.792 --> 23:15.127
that make sense for them.

23:15.127 --> 23:19.398
But through their experience and
bringing these small companies

23:19.398 --> 23:23.402
on, those are we know
winning combinations through

23:23.402 --> 23:25.671
experiences,
through existing, uh,

23:25.671 --> 23:27.239
partnerships.

23:27.239 --> 23:29.008
Go ahead.

23:29.008 --> 23:31.810
Joint ventures have proven
to be extremely successful.

23:31.810 --> 23:35.514
My firm actually is joint
ventured with C-B Richard Ellis

23:35.514 --> 23:38.717
and we've been working with the
city of Memphis and evaluating

23:38.717 --> 23:41.887
the suitability of a state
office building Downtown for the

23:41.887 --> 23:44.923
city of Memphis to determine
it's suitability whether the

23:44.923 --> 23:46.058
city should take that on.

23:46.058 --> 23:48.060
And that's worked
extremely well.

23:48.060 --> 23:50.562
And so, those
types of partnerships,

23:50.562 --> 23:53.866
um, you know, provide
opportunities that might not

23:53.866 --> 23:57.403
actually be available to
minority businesses to actually

23:57.403 --> 23:59.004
take on opportunities.

23:59.004 --> 24:00.940
There's this fundamental
irony that we're talking about

24:00.940 --> 24:01.941
minority businesses.

24:01.941 --> 24:03.042
I'm the minority at this table.

24:03.042 --> 24:05.878
You know, and within the
city of Memphis at least.

24:05.878 --> 24:07.880
You know, there's
an obvious gap.

24:07.880 --> 24:10.282
We didn't have women owned
representatives on the show and

24:10.282 --> 24:11.684
so, I apologize for that.

24:11.684 --> 24:14.286
But, um, is part of it just
getting people to acknowledge

24:14.286 --> 24:19.558
and not resist that notion that
Memphis is a city that's a very

24:19.558 --> 24:20.559
diverse city.

24:20.559 --> 24:22.628
And if you're going to say
you're not going to work with

24:22.628 --> 24:26.498
minority owned businesses,
you're excluding 50 to 75% of

24:26.498 --> 24:28.701
the companies or 50
to 75% of the people.

24:28.701 --> 24:29.702
I mean is it that simple.

24:29.702 --> 24:31.704
Yeah, I think that's
the changing culture.

24:31.704 --> 24:33.706
And that's a change in culture
that everybody at this table,

24:33.706 --> 24:36.208
uh, you know, we're a part of
this new Memphis right now where

24:36.208 --> 24:37.576
we are conscious about this.

24:37.576 --> 24:40.646
Like, you know, we know if I
call Darrell for a business real

24:40.646 --> 24:42.648
estate deal, I'm not going
to call him just because he's

24:42.648 --> 24:43.649
black.

24:43.649 --> 24:45.651
I'm just going to call him
because I think he's a great guy

24:45.651 --> 24:46.652
and he does good business.

24:46.652 --> 24:48.654
But so, yeah, you need to watch.

24:48.654 --> 24:50.856
But I think you just need to
have this culture where we can

24:50.856 --> 24:53.058
all work together
at the same time,

24:53.058 --> 24:55.694
have the supply of more
businesses that are ready to do,

24:55.694 --> 24:56.862
more leaders.

24:56.862 --> 25:00.332
It's hard to enforce all of
these things all day long.

25:00.332 --> 25:03.235
At one point, we'll just
have to think differently.

25:03.235 --> 25:06.672
And I think a lot of people are
thinking differently nowadays.

25:06.672 --> 25:08.674
And all of us are
just like, hey,

25:08.674 --> 25:09.875
let's just do business.

25:09.875 --> 25:10.876
Right, right.

25:10.876 --> 25:12.578
Just a minute left here.

25:12.578 --> 25:15.848
Ekundayo Bandele
runs Hattiloo Theatre.

25:15.848 --> 25:18.717
After he was on the show, he
talked about how actually the

25:18.717 --> 25:21.987
strength of Hattiloo in Overton
Square is that they brought a

25:21.987 --> 25:23.989
whole new audience
to Overton Square.

25:23.989 --> 25:26.225
And I wonder if that's
also part of the pitch that..

25:26.225 --> 25:28.727
I don't know who I
want to throw this to.

25:28.727 --> 25:29.995
But that notion of this.

25:29.995 --> 25:31.997
Don't do this just
because it's, uh,

25:31.997 --> 25:33.999
you feel like you
should or whatever.

25:33.999 --> 25:36.602
But do it because it's access
to a whole nother network of

25:36.602 --> 25:38.670
businesses or people, of
customers and clients.

25:38.670 --> 25:39.805
There's no question about it.

25:39.805 --> 25:41.840
You're bringing new
talent to the table.

25:41.840 --> 25:45.377
You're growing businesses and
people who are going to live

25:45.377 --> 25:48.280
here who are consumers.

25:48.280 --> 25:52.117
I mean it just makes sense for
Memphis and Shelby County to do

25:52.117 --> 25:53.118
it.

25:53.118 --> 25:56.422
And, uh, at the end of the day,
it's about this community being

25:56.422 --> 25:58.424
the best
community that we can be.

25:58.424 --> 26:02.795
But everybody needs to benefit
and share in that American dream

26:02.795 --> 26:04.863
and in that
American pie with that.

26:04.863 --> 26:05.864
Alright.

26:05.864 --> 26:07.866
Well, we're going
to leave it there.

26:07.866 --> 26:09.868
Ron Redwood, thank
you for being here.

26:09.868 --> 26:11.870
Mauricio Calvo, Darrell
Cobbins, thank you all.

26:11.870 --> 26:12.871
Thank you for joining us.

26:12.871 --> 26:13.872
Join us again next week.

26:13.872 --> 26:15.908
Goodnight.

26:15.908 --> 26:19.908
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